Baby First
by aks100
Summary: Oneshot story about what James needs to do in order to keep his family safe when Lily and James are in hiding when they encounter Voldemort for their third time.


HELLOO, well i'm back with this one shot type thingy. It's hard to write one chapter stories particularly after my run at fanfiction. Anyway. I was gonna reread Glittering Masquerade (my story from ages ago) when i suddenly felt hte need to update. So leaving behind all the stories i set up in previous serieses that i've written i wrote this. It's a little dark though so careful.

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or it's universe or characters. They all belong to J.K.Rowling

* * *

**Baby First**

I paced in my living room waiting anxiously from some word from Dumbledore. The room was dark, I hadn't bothered to switch on any of the lights through fear that someone outside might see it. True, Dumbledore had recently put some special protective charms over the house but I still felt a little on edge. Dumbledore was the best spell caster in the world, everyone knew that but there was that little bit in my head that kept saying 'What If?' What if Dumbledore has slipped up? What if one of our friends was a spy? What if? What if? What if? I knew Sirius wasn't a spy and neither was Peter but some of Remus' actions recently had caused me to suspect maybe. That's another word I keep telling myself 'Maybe'. Lily thinks I'm going mad but it's all for her protection, hers and the baby's. I suddenly stood absolutely still in the living room. There was that noise, a sort of groaning noise that I'd come to associate with death and pain. I felt a chill go up my spine and made my way over to the window. Slowly I moved a bit of the curtain away to look outside and there they were. The Inferi, the dead bodies just stumbled through the streets and in the air glided the infamous dementors. Oh, what I'd give to get the dementors and Inferi off this earth. They're the creatures of Lily's Devil. The opposite to her god, or her parents' god. Lily doesn't believe in God or the Devil, not since we learned about what could come about.

"James," came Lily's tired voice. It caused me to jump in the air and whip my wand out. She stood in the doorway of the living room looking at me rather annoyed. "James, what are you doing? Nothing is going to get us!" She snapped. She switched on the light, which caused me to wince. She wore her usual nightie. The soft red silky one that I'd bought her when we got married. You couldn't see her bump but I knew the baby was there.

"I'm just waiting for a message from Dumbledore," I said. It was partly true, I was but at the same time I felt like I needed to stay awake to protect her.

"James just come to bed!" Lily snapped as she came and took my hand.

"But what if-"

"Enough with the What Ifs!" She nearly screamed at me. Oops, I had to remember not to get her angry, it was difficult because now that she was pregnant the slightest thing could anger her. "James I want you to go to bed right now or so help me I will stay with Sirius!"

"It's not safe over there," I said.

"I don't care now get your arse upstairs!" She snapped. I looked at her then glanced at the window. When I looked back the look she gave me told me not to mess with her so obediently I made my way out of the room with Lily behind me making sure I didn't return to the living room. The sound of my feet on the stairs didn't even begin to hide the sound of the Inferi outside. They were usually so silent, not even Muggles could hear them but to me their steps resounded around my head like a bass drum. The chill caused by the dementors made me want to hold Lily. As they floated past the house all I could see was Lily dead on the floor killed by Voldemort himself. It wasn't a fantasy, it could be reality. I knew many people who'd been important enough for Voldemort to kill them.

When I entered the bedroom Lily went straight under the covers and watched me strip to my boxers before getting into the bed after her.

"What did you see tonight?" Lily asked.

"Inferi and dementors," I told her.

"I thought there were dementors, but Inferi…" Lily sighed as she turned towards me "Do you think that he'll ever stop searching for us?"

"No," I said, "We've escaped him twice, according to Dumbledore there are only two couples that have survived against him twice" I told her. She turned her amazing green eyes up to me and looked at me.

"Is that what your meeting was about today?" She asked. I nodded, "Did he tell you who?" I shook my head, she sighed again. She pressed herself tight against me so I put my arms around her protectively. Only the week before we'd found Lily's best friend, Colette Gardner, dead in her home. Lily had gone to see why she wasn't visiting and found a body. The same had happened to another of her friends, Ava Longeria. But Ava had long gashes across her chest and face, it hadn't been the killing curse as it had been with Colette.

"James," Lily said after a few moments silence.

"Mm-hm?" I replied. My eyes closing as the peace of sleep began to fog my mind.

"I think we should have Remus round tomorrow," Lily said. My mind went on alert,

"Remus? Why?" I asked.

"He seems lonely and everyone is blaming him for Ava's death, it wasn't him," She said. I opened my eyes and looked at her.

"How do you know?"

"I just do," Lily said, "He wouldn't hurt any of us,"

"But in his werewolf form?" I asked, She didn't know what she was talking about when it came to Remus and his nights as a werewolf, she didn't know what he was capable of, how dangerous he was.

"He didn't do it." Lily said. I could see her green eyes glittering in the dim light of the room. She seemed to believe Remus wholeheartedly. Again that voice in my head. What if he didn't do it? Maybe he hadn't but what if he had? Maybe he was the spy. We all knew there was someone who was spying on us. How else could Voldemort have known that Lily and I were going to visit my parent's grave or that Lily was going to visit her sister or I was going up north on Order business.

"We'll talk about it in the morning," I said. That usually kept her happy because whenever I said that she was going to bring it up. At least in the morning I'd have the strength to fight the force of her Will and to fight the effect she usually had on me during an argument.

* * *

I heard Sirius padding softly through the alleyway before I saw him. He turned his large head towards me as he passed an opening.

"Have you spotted him?" I asked. The huge dog shook his head. "Keep looking," The dog disappeared. I crept my way towards a huge pile of rubbish bags. The smell was amazingly strong but a quick charm sorted that out. I wished I could speak to Lily then, she was somewhere else in the compound doing the same job for the Order. We were under instructions to stop an attack from happening but we didn't think that it would have been left so late. Peter was being used as bait, visiting his own family, who lived in an extended bungalow just down the road.

"James," came a soft female voice. "James are you there?" I pulled a hand held mirror out of my pocket to see Lily's face staring up at me.

"Are you ok?" I asked her worriedly. She gave me a faint smile.

"Why do you always assume I'm hurt?" She asked. I gave her a guilty look. "You're cute when you do that. Anyway, I just saw something over your side of the compound, it may have been Sirius but it looked too big to be Padfoot and I'm not sure, just giving you a heads up," I gave her a smile.

"Thanks darling," I said. Lily flashed me a concerned look then her face disappeared. Sirius had leant her his mirror for the night. It came in useful when she needed to contact me. Somehow she'd charmed it so that I couldn't contact her. I put the mirror back and edged towards the entrance of the alley. How had I managed to get stuck with being in the alley? I wasn't as conspicuous as Lily, with her bright red hair yet I still managed to get this job. What was Dumbledore thinking? As I approached the entrance of the Alley my heart began pounding again. Thudding against my ribcage as it always did when I expected trouble. It simply got me psyched up for battle. When I peered out into the silent street I heard something behind me. I turned to look at the bin bags. I wished I could have cast Lumos but that would have given away my position. I stared the pile of bags down for a few moments before turning back to the street. Every sound was louder. The sound of the cars from the main road, the Telefission from in the house next to me, a dog barking from a few roads away. I flexed my fingers in my free hand while I got a better grip with my wand. There was a bark from Padfoot to tell us everything was fine. I felt a little reassured from that but not completely. I lowered my wand slightly when there was a sudden crash behind me. The bin bags had scattered everywhere and in their place stood a death eater with his hood pulled over his head. I could see the long blond hair and knew who it was immediately. I flicked my wand at him sending a shot of red light towards him. He reflected it causing it to crash into the wall.

"Stupify!" I said flicking my wand again. Again the spell was deflected.

"Rictusempra! Incendio!" Malfoy said. The spells came in quick succession. I managed to deflect the first one but not the second. The blast of fire hit me square in the chest. I felt like the fire was going to engulf me when in reality I had only received a minor burn. I shouted in pain and conjured a Devil's snare. I put a few spells on it to encourage it to grow before running into the street. A huge black dog came bounding up to me and changed into Sirius moments before it stopped.

"What happened?" He asked as he pulled one of my arms over his shoulder. My chest was in so much pain. My shirt seemed to have disappeared altogether and I stood shivering in the cold street but I didn't feel cold.

"Malfoy," I managed to say, each breath I took hurt.

"He's here?" Sirius asked.

"Make sure Lily is ok," I said to Sirius,

"She's fine I just checked up on her." He pulled me in the direction of a small patch of green parkland. Lily was somewhere over there in the bushes and trees. I felt a shiver go through me and again all I could think of was Lily dead. The one joy in my life gone like someone blowing out a flame. I shivered against Sirius but I felt him shiver too.

"Dementors," He said looking up. Around us the air had suddenly grown so cold that there was ice on the road.

"Quick, we need to get to Lily," I said in rasping breaths, "We don't know the effects of Dementors on babies." Sirius nodded and helped me towards the park. Suddenly someone stepped in our way.

"Going somewhere cousin?" came a slimy female voice.

"Bella," Sirius growled. He suddenly dropped me and fired a rapid succession of almost deadly jinxes at her. Bellatrix was as skilled as Sirius was as she danced out of the way of each one. I never knew she was so nimble, but then again I've never seen her in a duel, I've only heard the stories. I left Sirius occupied with fighting Bellatrix and got up uncertainly. The pain in my chest was causing my legs to become weaker.

"No," I Said through gritted teeth. I still held my wand and curse a Death Eater out of the way. Novice. I'd just got to a patch of grass easily enough when I heard Lily's scream pierce the night.

"Lily!" I managed to shout. I was about to start towards the bushes when an army of Dementors and Inferi marched towards me.

"Incendio!" I shouted knowing that the Inferi couldn't go near fire. They hated the heat and the light. I couldn't stop the dementors though. They kept on through the fire until all of them were through. Damn, I hadn't cast a proper patronus. I knew how to but I never did it. Think of my happiest memory. Lily. But it was beginning to slip away from me, my happiness and hope, going. Lily on our wedding day, Lily when I asked her to marry me, Lily telling me she was pregnant. I held out my wand and prayed to anyone who was listening that it would work.

"Expecto Patronum!" I shouted at the dementors. My chest hurt like hell but the silver light that suddenly filled the air was my reward and worth the pain. A huge silver stag went charging around the area in front of me chasing away the dementors. I turned quickly to look behind me. Just as I'd managed to clear one area another had filled up. Death Eaters surrounded Sirius and now they were after me.

"James just go and get Lily!" Sirius shouted over the fighting just before he got struck with a jinx that made thorns grow out of his skin. I turned around again and bumped into a tall thin figure. I fell back onto the grass gasping for air. My chest was screaming at me to get some help. I closed my eyes and grit my teeth.

"Well, well, James Potter." Came the hissing voice of Voldemort. I opened my eyes and stared straight into those dark red glowing eyes of his. His skin seemed to be merging into one flat surface. What was he doing to himself? Why would he do this to himself. I stared up at him as he walked towards me. "Not in the best of shapes are we?"

"Bugger off," was all I could get out. Voldemort laughed.

"You're almost as amusing as your wife." He said. "Oh, congratulations by the way, I believe you were only engaged last time we met," He put a foot on my burnt chest causing me to scream out in pain "Your wife sounded a bit like that too but unlike her I'm actually going to kill you." He confided. Lily was alive, thank Merlin! As long as she and the baby were alright.

"Do your worst to me then," I said through gritted teeth. The pain was overwhelming. I wanted to faint but I didn't for Lily's sake.

"Crucio," Voldemort said casually flicking his wand at me. I screamed in even more pain. This time I didn't even try to fight the urge to faint but I wouldn't faint. All I could feel was this seering pain all over my body like it was my entire body that was on fire. Voldemort was saying something to me but I couldn't hear it over the sound of my blood rushing through my veins in my head. I could feel the pressure in my blood vessels, they were going to explode, I knew it but before they could the pain went away and all I could feel was my chest in a minor pain coma pared to the Crucio curse.

"As I was saying, you're not going to live to see another night Potter," He said. He took his foot off me and raised his wand. "Avad-"

"Expelliarmus!" Came a voice I was so glad to hear. I turned my head painfully to see Remus jumping through my wall of fire with his wand out and Lily in his arms. How he didn't I wasn't sure but he was pale and looked incredibly weak.

"James get home!" He said to me. I picked up my wand, which I had managed to drop in the fight and stood up.

"Imbecile! Join me half-breed and I'll allow you a freedom that Dumbledore never allowed you!" Voldemort said to Remus. I ran over to Remus as fast as I could, ducking a jet of green light that shot over my head.

"You think I'll betray my friends?" Remus demanded. He handed Lily over to me and looked straight into my eyes. "I'll meet you at your home." He said before charging at Voldemort. I watched him for a fraction of a second before Disapparating. I felt like a coward doing it but I knew I had to. As I appeared in the bedroom I lowered Lily in the bed and felt for her pulse. It was still there, weak, but still there. Hesitantly I prepared to disapparate again.

"Stay here James, you're no good to Lily or the baby dead," Came Dumbledore's calming voice. I turned to stare into Dumbledores cool blue eyes. He gave me a grave smile. "I know you want to return to help your friends but you must stay here. Lily needs you. Madame Pomfrey has come to help patch you up but you must stay in your house James. I was wrong to send you tonight. I had hoped that maybe, this wouldn't happen but it has. You are to stay confined to your house until I know more."

"Know more about what?" I asked as madam Pomfrey rushed into the bedroom and saw to Lily. I watched her, reluctant for anyone to touch Lily except me. I trusted the healer but tonight I didn't want anyone to touch my wife. It must have showed as Dumbledore took me gently by the arm.

"James, listen to me. If you need any help Sirius and Remus will help you. Don't push them away like you did with Remus-"

"But Remus is-"

"Remus is many things but he's not a traitor," Dumbledore said gravely. "I'm afraid I believed so too and only Lily believed otherwise. I know what he did tonight, Peter came as soon as the Inferi got Lily. He heard her scream and went to her. Remus was there first dispersing the Inferi and Dementors. Trust him James and do not leave the house. There may be other times that Voldemort may try and kill you but make sure your baby is born before he gets that chance." Dumbledore said. "I have business to attend to." And with that he disappeared. I stared at the spot he'd been standing in before turning back to the bedroom to check on Lily. Madam Pomfrey was fussing over her and my chest was aching. The skin was starting to scab and puss. Lily was really going to tell me off when she came to. I held her hand tightly and thought about what Dumbledore had said. Let the baby be born before Voldemort had the chance to kill us. Well, we seemed safe at the moment but how long would that be? A week? A month? A year? I looked at Lily's unconscious form. There were hand marks over her skin where the inferi had grabbed at her. I felt the need to go out and help Remus and Sirius but no. I would stay here with Lily. We'd bring our baby into the world before I went doing anything else. Baby first.


End file.
